Protective effect of polaprezinc on acute gastric mucosal injury in rats.

To explore the role of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the protective effect of polaprezinc on acute gastric mucosal damage.
 Methods: A total of 30 male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups as follows: A blank group, a model group, and a polaprezinc group. The blank group was fed normally. As for the model group and the polaprezinc group, the rats were given 1 mL ethanol (intragastrical administration) first, then they were treated with vehicle (1 mL distilled water) or polaprezinc treatment (100 mg/kg) 1 h later. On the 3rd day, rats in each group were fasting for 24 h before gastric administration. After 2 h of gastric administration, 5 mL of intraperitoneal blood was collected, centrifuged and stored at -80 ℃ for the detection of EGF and PGE2. Gastric tissue was collected for anatomic and pathological assessment. 
 Results: Polaprezinc reduced gastric mucosa injury in the polaprezinc group compared to the model group. Compared with the blank group, the levels of PGE2 and EGF in blood serum were significantly decreased in the model group and the polaprezinc group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the model group and the polaprezinc group (P>0.05).
 Conclusion: Polaprezinc can provide effective protection for acute mucosal injury and the underlying mechanism is not directly related to PGE2 and EGF.